Credit: Twitter
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema, who took international retirement on his 35th birthday, has struck back at the World Cup-winning manager Didier Deschamps after the French head coach claimed it was the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner's decision to leave the team during the FIFA World Cup 2022.
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During an interview with Le Parisien, France manager Deschamps said, " Karim was hurt because this World Cup meant a lot to him… He said to me, 'It’s over.’ Our doctor’s diagnosis matched the one we gave him in Madrid. At best, his return to training could not intervene before December 10…
"When I left him, I told him: ‘Karim, there is no urgency. You organize your return with the team manager.’ When I woke up, I learned that he was gone. It was his decision, he won’t tell you otherwise, I understand and respect it."
However, Benzema has a different opinion over his World Cup withdrawal and it can be clearly identified through his Instagram stories. The 35-year-old striker took to his official Instagram handle to share a story with his more than 61 million followers, where he quoted Deschamps' comments and questioned his audacity.
Benzema shared two stories, one of which mentioned Deschamps' comments and wrote, " The audacity of this (clown)! " While his other story stated, " Holy Didier. Goodnight."
Check Benzema's stories:
While France lost the Qatar World Cup final against Argentina on penalties, many fans questioned Deschamps' decision to send Karim Benzema back to home mid-tournament. After France's loss to Argentina, Benzema announced his retirement from international football on the next day, leaving the football world in a shock.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are scheduled to host Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, March 15 in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 fixture. While Los Blancos manage a three-goal lead over the Reds from the first leg, Benzema's appearance for the game is in doubts due to injury.
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